December 1, 2004
New Women’s Center Key to Reintegration Efforts
(MILWAUKEE) --- Wisconsin Department of Corrections Secretary Matt
Frank today dedicated the new Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center and
presented the center’s program direction. The 100-bed facility, which
opened in the summer of 2004, houses women who are near the completion of
their sentences and are soon to be released into the community.
"This Center serves as a means to help reintegrate female offenders
back into the community," said Frank. "Through a series of programs that
meet individual needs, these women are assisted in making a smooth
transition from incarceration back into the community where they will find
a stable home, gainful employment, and quality treatment." Frank said
these are key factors to success for both the offender and her family.
The Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center will feature new initiatives
designed to promote the successful reintegration of female offenders.
The Treatment Alternative to Prison Program, or TAPP, is designed to be
another sentencing option for Milwaukee judges for certain non-violent
female offenders. Offenders sentenced to this program will benefit from
intensive, gender-specific alcohol and other drug abuse treatment
programming and community supervision support services. The primary focus
will be on public safety, offender accountability, successful
rehabilitation, and community wraparound services designed to break the
cycle of incarceration.
"The Department of Corrections, in collaboration with the Department of
Health and Family Services, established a cross-departmental, multi-agency
team to coordinate the overall development of this program," Frank said.
"The purpose of the program is to provide a viable sentencing option for
prison bound female offenders, with particular focus on women with
children. The target population is women who have been convicted of
non-violent crimes and whose criminal behavior is related to their
substance abuse."
Frank also announced the Female Reentry Program, a new pilot program
which began October 1, 2004, that provides enhanced reach-in services to
women being released from the Wisconsin Correctional System who have
dependant children.
"These enhanced services are intended to break the cycle of crime,
substance abuse, depression, family violence, and trauma that now plague
generations of Wisconsin families affected by parental incarceration,"
Frank said.
The program is the result of collaboration between the Departments of
Corrections (DOC), Workforce Development (DWD) and Health and Family
Services (DHFS) to provide treatment for substance abuse, to find suitable
housing and work for offenders, and to safely reunite women with their
children.
The State of Wisconsin has recently been awarded a grant of $22.8
million over three years for the Access to
Recovery program, administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
"This program will expand capacity and significantly enhance Milwaukee
County’s current voucher system for county residents and persons involved
in the criminal justice system who have substance use treatment and
recovery support services needs," Frank said. "This program has galvanized
collaborations with state and county agencies, community providers, client
advocacy groups, and faith-based organizations to provide a gamet of
services to persons and families in need of treatment."
The Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center will play a key role in these
and other initiatives that are designed to safely reintegrate women back
into our communities while addressing critical issues related to housing,
employment, treatment, and family reunification.
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